Turbine engine



T. H. WALKER TURBINE ENGINE Feb. 17, 1931'.

Filed March 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l 111/ abwr V Zl/al er.

Ills/z fi Zia 171425 5 Feb. 17, 1931. WALKER 1,792,946

TURBINE ENGINE Filed March ,15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 17, 193] PATENT-I OFFICE 'rnomas ILWALKER. or HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA TURBINE E GINE Application filed March 13, 1929. Serial no.34a575.

My invention is a turbine engine and method of operatlon, of the steam or gas type.

An object of my invention is the construction of a turbine engine in which the rotor 5 only carries the vanes or blades, there being no reacting vanes or blades on the stator part of the engine.

An important: feature of my invention is in operating the turbine from steam or gas flowing at a veryhigh Velocity, as it is well known that for instance, steam discharging froma boiler having pressures of say 100 pounds per square inch up, the velocity of the steam discharged through a nozzle is exceedingly high and that even the fastest'rotating turbines cannot operate at a sufficiently high 7 speed to make full use of the velocity factor of the flowing steam, and for these high rates of rotation of the rotor of theturbine, the centrifugal force becomes so great as to either destroy the structure ofthe metal or to be dangerous. Thereforewith my invention 1 make use of this high velocity factor of the issuing steam or gas and cause the gas to pass through a plurality of blades or vanes arranged for one to discharge directly to the next, whereby the velocity of the steam or other gasexerts adriving force on-the various succeeding vanes or blades through which it passes. The steam or gas which has become retarded-and has done useful work is then exhausted from the machine an'dtherefore does not interfere with the free flow of the steam or gas operating at high velocity. Another feature of my invention is making use ofthe flow of steam or gas at high velocity on the Venturi principle, in which due to the contraction of a vane, the velocity is materially increased and the pressure decreased and at the discharge from a leading into a succeeding vane, the velocity at the entrance end of the, succeedingvane is reduced from that at which it enters such vane and the pressure increases over that of the discharge end of the leading vane. As each succeeding vane has an opening at its entrance end, the steam or gas which has lost its effective velocity for driving the turbine may expand andbe discharged from the machine. In this expansion the steam may havea reaction against the stator part of the turbine, thereby adding to the effective forces rotating the rotor. i

Another factor of my invention is confining the steam or gas in the sets of successive vanes, whereby "an effective driving force is obtained by the velocity action in passing through. these vanes and as the effective work is-done and before another discharge nozzle is reached, the steam or gas may be freely exhausted. V

Another object of my invention is in caus-.

ing the expansive fluid to react on a plurality of vanes or pockets one after the other, in a circumferential direction of the rotor and in this connection a still further object of my invention is to have the expansive fluid act on .a V enturi principle in which the velocity is increasedin discharging from one vane and the fluid expands in the next adj acent vane and so forth, around a part of the circumference of the rotor. until the fluid has been expanded to the desired extent.

A further object of my invention is having of vanes or blades thereon, each of the blades having a contracted end with a discharge orifice. The expansive fluid is injected in the large end of each of the vanes and discharged through the small orifices into thelarge end of the next adjacent vane considered circumferentially of the rotor. This gives the effect of a Venturi tube, the expansive fluid increasing its velocity materially at the orifice and expanding in the next vane and soforth. The fluid reacts against the vanes partly by direct pressure and the frictionl resistance of the fastmoving fluid. The contraction of the fluid at the small orifice gives a pressure reaction, adding to the forces rotating the rotor.

Anotherdetailed object of my invention is injecting the expansive fluid at a plurality of positions adjacent the periphery of the rotor and after the fluid is expanded to the desired degree, reacting against and through a plurality of vanes positioned circumferentially on the rotor. The fluid expands in the rotor casing in a part out of contact with the moving vanes and may then be exhausted to atmosphere or to a condenser.

My invention comprehends a method of expanding an expansible fluid in a turbine cugine in which the fluid is injected into the vanes, such vanes tapering and having a large intake and a small outlet orifice, the successive vanes being in alinement circumferentially of the rotor. The expansive fluid in passing through the vanes undergoes a co1npres...on increasing its velocity and then an expansion in the next succeeding vane. Partof the expanded fluid reacts againstthe stator of the engine and the remaining fluid in entering a. vane then undergoes the contraction. with increase of velocity and decreased pressure and then second and succeeding expansions.

An adaptation of my invention is illu trated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly broken away, illustrating the stator or housing and the rotor therein, the vanes being illustrated in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of 3 in the directionv oil the rotor, showing however, the central parts of the rotor in elevation and some of the vanes in section Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of 2 on the line 3-3, in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4, showing a portion ofthe vanes in section;

Fig. 6 is a detail transverse section on the line G6 of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view taken in the direction of the arrow 7, showing the outside of some of the vanes;

Fig. 8 is a detail section through one of the intake ports, as if taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a detail section through the rotor adjacent the intake ports, indicating the action of the expansive fluid.

Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view of an alternative form of vane on the rotor;

Fig. 11 is a transverse section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

The mounting of my engine employs a base 11 and housing or casing 12 which il trated as being in two halves 13 and 14, there being securing flanges 15 or the like. Each of the halves of the housing is provided with an outwardly turned flange 16. In these flanges I fit a packing 1'7 with glands 17 for the snaft 18. Brackets 19 carry the anti-friction bearing 19 for the shaft. The casino; or housing 12 is provided with passages or duets 20 for the intake fluid and has a large outlet 21 shown as positioned on the side 13 for the exhaust fluids.

The housing at certain sections is provided with aweb 22 having an inwardly extending trough 23. This trough has parallel sides 2% and a curved section 25. These trough sections are adjacent the intake port 26 which is illustrated as being flared outwardly from a small aperture 27. The aperture 27 connects with a passage 28 in which there is a fluid valve 29 having a valve seat 30 and a valve plug 31 illustrated as being operated by a hand wheel 32 on a screw. There are a series of circumferential recesses at the en d of the trough sections and these allow the gas after its expansion and use to have a free discharge into the hollow space 34 of the housing through the exhaust 35.

It will be noted that the troughs 23 have ends 36 and 37 and inner circumferential edges 38 which are sections of a circle, the shaft being the center. The casing housing with the troughs and the recesses 33 may be considered as the stator of the turbine engine.

The rotor designated generally by the numeral 39 has a hub 40 which is illustrated as being split. the hub being keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 18. Extending outwardly from the hub there is a ring-like web 41 illustrated as being secured to the hub by the rivets 42 which also hold the two sections of the hub together. Outer plates or discs 43 are secured to the outside of the hub. the securing means being illustrated as rivets t4 and these converge and are connected to the web adjacent the outer periphery thereof indicated at 45. Secured to the web at its peripheral portion 4C6 there are a series of vanes or blades 47. These vanes or blades are contracted with one end 48 having a large opening or orifice and a small end 49 having a contracted orifice. This gives a sloping outer surface 50 to each of the vanes. The vanes are illustrated as having a semi-cylindrical section 51 secured directly to the periphery 46 of the web 41 and at the large end 4. 8 there are straight sections 52 which are in planes parallel to the plane of the web. The upper portion 53 of the large end of each of the vanes is illustrated as being a semi-circle but may be of any other desired shape.

The small orifice of each vane has an upper section 54 formed preferably as a semicircle, thus the small or discharge orifices of each blade forms a circle. However, the shapes of the vanes may be considerably altered as it is not material that they follow the exact shape illustrated.

The outer portions of the discs 43 have curved flanges 55 which are formed concentric with the cylindrical portion 51 of the vanes and may be directly attached thereto. For purposes of description the vanes are described as being separate one from the other but it is to be understood that the main portion of the rotor may be cast with the vanes integral therewith. It will be noted that the et-lil-ze device;

outer peripheral edge-56 of the curved flanges is continuous around the whole encumference of the rotorjand has a slight spacing from the edge 38 of thetroughs 23. By this construction of the vanes it will be seen that they are in alinement circumferentially around the periphery of the rotor, that the small or discharge orifice of each vane leads into the large intake opening of the-next succecdingvane. This arrangeinentrof the vanes leaves a series'of openings .57 which lead to the trough portions 23 and to the recess 33 in the stator or housing. These vanes in effect form a series of pockets tapering from the-large to the'small end and the small the port and exerts a pressure-against the' walls of the vane. As the expansivefiuid is forced to the small end of each vane the internal pressure of such flu1d decreases audits velocity also materially increases.

The arrangement of the vanes provides in,

effect a series of Venturitubes and the fluids after discharge from the small orifices expands in the'large end of the next adjacent vane. Such expansive fluid in expanding either blows or exerts a pressure outwardly through the opening 57 between'the large and small orifices of adjacent vanes. fluid reacts against the trough 28. 'However, the flow of the expansive fluid again under goes a decompression and increase of velocity in traveling to the small end of each of the adjacent vanes and again expands. I arrange the design so" thatthe fluid acts on and expands in a number of the succeeding vanes and is then discharged into recesses 33 in the rotor and hence into the enlarged space 34 in the housing or casing. The fluid may then escape through exhaust 35 and the outlet 21.

In Fig. 9 I illustrate in diagram the flow of the expansive fluid. In this drawing the expansive fluid is indicated by the arrow 58 entering the opening57 between the discharge end of one vane and the intake end of the next vane. This expansive fluid travels through the vanes in the direction indicated by the arrows 59 and at the'discharge end of each vane a certain amount of the fluid follows the path of the arrow 60 and impinges on the contracted portion ofthe next adjacent vane. This has a driving action in the general direction of the arrow 61, that is in a clockwise direction, having reference to Fig.

Such

9.. In addition a certainamount of the expansive fluid follows thepath ofthe arrows 62 in the portion of the vanes adjacent the web of the rotor. The vapor continues in this action until it has finally expanded its initialvelocity. A certain amount of the vapor escapes in the direction of the-arrows 63 through the openings 57 and reacts against the trough-like structure of the stator, giving a reaction to the rotor. This vapor which has expanded is free to escape between the edges 36 of the troughs and 56 of the rotor and enters the large open space 34 in the housing.

The action of the expansive fluid in pass ing through the vanes where it is injected initially with a high Velocity, is togradually increase in velocity but adjacent the contracted end-of each of the vanes the vapor undergoes an acceleration in velocity slightly greater than that at which it entered the vane and immediately undergoes a deceleration in the enlargedor intake portion of the next adjacent vane. The fluidvgives apositive 7 pressure againstthe surface oilthe succeeding vanes through which it passes until its impulse energy is exhausted and then the vapor which no longer can do any useful work is exhaused from the engine. v

i In Figs. 10 and 11 I illustrate an alternative or modified form of vanes on the rotor, these vanes being designated generally by the numeral 65 and are mounted on a web 66 which is secured-to the hub of the rotor.

These vanes are shown as having a receiving end'67' of large diameter and a discharge end 68 of small diameter, these being illustrated by circles so that the connecting structure is tapered not only on the outer periphery of the vanes but on both sides of the vanes, thus distinguishing from the type shown in Figs. 5 and 7 in which the vanes taper on the outer periphery only. The portion 69 of the vanes adjacent the web have the inner edge of the intake and discharge ends inalineinent with the periphery of the web. The stator has a trough-like structure 70 preferably extending downwardly half the diameter of the intake end of each of the vanes and the rotor has flanges 71 which extend upwardly on the side of each vane sufiicient to give the vane a-firm support. It will therefore be seen that there is a discharge space at the side 72 of the vanes as well as on the peripheral portion 73. i

' With this type of vane the expansive fluid is injected in a peripheral direction and enters through the opening 74" between the entrance end and the discharge nozzle end of contiguous vanes. The vapor is dis charged through the contracted discharge orifice and expands laterally to both sides as well as outwardly in a radial direction and strikes the conically tapered sides of thenext adjacent vane. This action of the vapor repeatedly impinging on these tapered or conically shaped vanes rapidly reduces the velocity of the expansible vapor and the side openings as well as theperipheral opening allow a quick discharge of the expanded fluid. My construction therefore in its various forms reduces the velocity of the expansible vapor rapidly so that the rotor does not require to rotate at excessive speed.

From the above description. together with the illustrations it will be seen that some of the mechanical features of my turbine involve the characteristic that the tapering ends of each of the vanes terminates or has its discharge end at the front end or intake at the next succeeding vane, that these vanes do not extend one into the other but this construction leaves a clear space for the free entran cc of the steam or from the intake nozzles and also for the free expansion and discharge of the exhausted steam or gases.

Another mechanical feature is in having a confined passage innnediately adjacent the nozzles so that the steam or other gases is somewhat confined while it is operating at high velocity, however, with the effect that the gases which will be discharged outwardly from the vanes have a driving action against the stator and when the force of the gases is fully developed, the gas has a free discharge in the enlarged spaces of the stator.

In the method and function of the operation, the flow of gases and steam at high velocity through the vanes, one dischargin into the other, makes use of the velocity action of the fluid impinging on the vanes and having a direct driving force. With this is coupled a Vcnturi type of action of an increase in velocity at the contracted end of each vane with an accompanying.decrease in pressure immediately followed in the next succeeding vane by a retarding in velocity and an increase of pressure over that which the gas entered such vane. the pressure however being less than that of the entrance of the fluids into a leading vane. This feature develops an expansion of the fluids on the passage from a contracted end of a vane to the large end of a succeeding vane. giving an opportunity for the expanding fluids which have done effective velocity work and are flowing too slow to effectively blow through the vanes, to react against the stator and to discharge into the discharge spaces in the stator.

A material factor in applicants construction relates to the trough formed in the h later adjacent the nozzles which, with the flanges on the rotor on each side of the tnrbin vanes, functions to confine the expansive fluid, especially at the outer portions of the vanes, but as the edges of the trough and the outer periphery of the flanges of the rotor do not quite meet they leave a space for discharge of the expansive fluid which has done effective work, and the buckets have a clear place to discharge in the hollow spaces in the stator located at the termination of each of the trough sections of the stator.

Various changes maybe made in the principles of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof as claimed.

I claim:

1. A turbine engine comprising in combination a stator and a rotor, the stator hav i .gmental trough-like passap the rotor at piurality of vanes aixanged circinnihrentially and jnissing through said trough-like passages. the vanes being constructed to discharge one into the other in a circumferential direction and in he direction rotation, means to inject expansive fluid in the said-[trough-lihe passages, 60.611 of the vanes being; tapered and having a discharge end of lesser cross sec ional area than the intake end, "he stator having enlarged spaces to receive .iie expanded fluid and means to exhaust such fluid.

2. A turbine engine com n'ising in combination a stator and a rotor, the stator having a. plnralit of trongriilni passages in segments resending in a circumferential directi-zm on the interior thereof, the rotor having a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentialiy to travel through said passages, each of the vanes being tapered and having a discharge end of smaller cross-sectional area than the intake end, the discharge end discharging into the intake end of the next adj acent vane considered in the direction of rotation, there being an open section in each vane between the discharge end of one vane and the intake end of the next adjacent vane. means in the stator to inject an expansive fluid into the vanes in a peripheral direction, the stator having a plurality of enlarged spaces spaced between the said passages and a connection from the said spaces to an engine exhaust.

8. A turbine engine having a rotor with a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentially thereon, said vanes being open ended and one vane being adapted to discharge an expansive fluid into the intake end of the next adjacent vane, the discharge end of a leading vane being in alignment with the intake end of a suceeding vane. said vanes being shaped whereby the fluid discharged from one vane gives impelling action on the next adjacent vane, a stator .ssociated with the rotor and having plurality of discharge nozzles to discharge into the vanes, there being contracted passages adjacent the nozzles to confine the fluid in the vanes and enlarged expansion spaces preceding succeeding nozzles.

4. A turbine engine comprising in combination a stator and a rotor, the stator having segn'lental trough-like passages, the rotor having a plurality of vanes arranged cir cumferentially and passing through said trough-like passages. and the rotor having flanges on each side of the vanes approachiniz the margins of the trough-like passages in the stator, the vanes being constructed to discharge one into the other in a circumferential 7 direction and in the direction of rotation,

means to inject expansive fluid in the said trough-like passages, each of the vanes being tapered and having a discharge end of lesser cross-sectional area than the intake end, the stator having enlarged spaces to receive the expanded fluid and means to exhaust such fluid.

5. A-turbine engine comprising in combination a stator and a rotor, the stator'having a plurality of trough-like passages in seg-' ments extending in a circumferential direction on the interior thereof, the rotor having a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentiall to travel through said passages and having flanges on each side of the vanes approaching the margins of the trough-like passages in the stator, each of the vanes being tapered and having a discharge end of smaller crosssectional area than the intakeend, the discharge enddischarging into the intake end of the next adjacent vane considered in the direction of rotation, there being an open section in each vane between the discharge end of one vane and the intake end of the next adjacent vane, means in the statorto inject an expansive fluid into the'vanes in a periph so eral direction, the stator having a plurality of enlarged spaces spaced between the said 7 passages and a connection from the said spaces to an engine exhaust. V v

6. A turbine enginehaving a rotor with a plurality of vanes arranged circumferentially thereon, said vanes being open ended and one vane being adapted to discharge an expansive fluid into the intake end of the next adjacent vane, the discharge end of a leading vane being in'alignment with the intake end of a succeeding vane, said vanesbeing shaped whereby the fluid discharged from one vane gives an impelling action on the next adjacent vane,ra stator associated with the rotor and having a plurality of discharge nozzles to discharge into the vanes, there being contracted passages in the stator adjacent the nozzles and the rotor having confining structures on each side of the vanes to form with the passages in the stator confining structures to confine the fluid in the vanes, and there being enlarged expansion spaces in the'stator preceding succeeding nozzles. V '7 In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. I

THOS. H. WALKER. 

